Triple-valve attachment



Ma 21, 1929. o, ENN 1,713,651

'IIRIPLE vALyE: ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 awuehtoz I I CARL O. GLENN 3351 1134 Gum May 21, 1929. c. o. GLENN TRIPLE VALVE ATTACHMENT Filed 001:. 29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet avweutoz CARL O. GLENN May 21, 1929. c, o. GLENN TRIPLE VALVE ATLIACHMENT Filed Oct. 29,

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being adapted to prevent the undesired piston stem 52. This graduating valve is 65 Patented Ma 21, 1 929. I 1,713,651 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE.

CARL 0. GLENN, or ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To WALTER H. rosTER, or

' NEWYYORK, N. Y.

' TRIPLE-VALVE ATTACHMENT.

Application filed October 29, 1925, Serial 'm.'e5,514.

This invention relates generally to railway the triple valve body 48 has slidably mountair brake apparatus and aims to provide im-' ed therein the so-called main or triple piston proved means for preventing the undesired 50. The latter is provided with a rearwardemergency application of the air brakes. ly extending stem 52 with a collar 54 secured 5 More specifically, the invention'aims to pro- 7 to one end thereof for coaction with a slide 60 vide a self-contained device which can be valve 56 having ports 68, 58 and 60 formed readily applied to existing air brake equiptherein. Slidable within a bore 62 of the ment without necessitating material alteraslide valve isthe usual graduating valve 64 tions to the same such supplementary device which is secured by means of a pin 66 to the 7 emergency application of the air brakes. adapted at the proper time to uncover a lat- The invention will be understood from the eral port 68 which communicates with the following specification when read in connecchamber '40 so as to permit auxilia air to tion with the accompanying drawings. in pass through ports 58 and 60 throug a port which- 70 communicating with port 32 leading to 70 Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagramn'iatic elevathe brake cylinder. The triple valve is protion-of a portion of a train air brake equipvided with the usual emergency piston 72 ment including a triple valve embodying my which operates in chamber 74, the piston invention; a carrying a stem 76 to which is secured the Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectio -emergency valve 78 which controls communi- 75 through the triple valve of Fig. 1; cation between the chamber 74 and the cham- Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of Fig. 2, the her 80. In the usual construction of the parts shown in section illustrating one form triple valve, a port 82 is formed in the triple of self-contained unit for preventing the valve as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In the emergency application of brakes; triple valve as usually constructed heretofore, 80 Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section this port permitted auxiliary reservoir presthrough a triple valve illustrating an altersure to be exerted on the top of piston 72 native form of self-contained prevention de- .when the usual inclined side valve port not vice. shown was brought into register with said Referring in detail to the drawings, 10 repport 82. In modifying the triple valve to ap- 5 resents the usual main reservoir usually ply my invention thereto, I merely insert a forming part of the engineequipment of an cupped bushing 84 in the chamber 74 above air brake system and 12 is a supply pipe which the piston 72 so as to close off connection beconnects said reservoir with the engineers tween the port 82 and the top of the chamber brake valve 14. The latter is connected to 84 as illustrated in the embodiment of the in: 90 the brake pipe 18. This brake pipe runs the, vention shown in Figs. 2 and 3. I In the plate full length of the train and is provided with 84, I provide a port 86 which communicates the usual angle cocks and the flexible hose With a passage 88 formed by drilling out 9. connections and couplings between trains. portion of the valve body. A similarly At each train there is one branch brake pipe formed passage 90 communicates with the 20 and the usual cut-out cock 22 which comport 82. A passage 92 is formed in the triple municates with a chamber 24 formed in the valve body to communicate with a brake pipe check valve casing 26 carrying the usual brake conduit 24 which is cored in the triple valve pipe check valve 28 of the triple valve indibody and communicates with the chamber 45 cated as a whole in the drawings by numeral 94 formed in the cap member 96 which 100 30. The triple valve is provided with the guides the usual spring pressed graduating usual port 32 connected to the port 34 leadspindle 98, e ing to the brake cylinder 36 which houses the The ports 88, 90 and 92 communicate reusual brake piston 38. The upper part of spectively with ports 88, 90 and 92* which 50 the triple valve is formed with a chamber 40 ports are formed in a self-containued unit which is connected by pipe 42 with the auxilindicated as a Whole by numeral 100. This iary reservoir 44 as used in passenger train unit can be conveniently attached to existing equipment. In freight "train equipment triple valves by means of a cap screw 102 chamber 40 and auxiliary reservoir are dipassing through a suitable opening in the rectly connected. A chamber 46 formed in body of the unit and engaging threads of a 1 abutment 47 to strike the end 97 hole tapped into the triple valve body, s itable dowel pins 104 engaging both unit 100 and the valve body to properly position the parts.

The communication between ports 88 and 90 and hence also communication between ports 88 and '90, is controlled by a valve 106 carried by a diaphragm 108 which is pressed by a spring 110 as well as by brake pipe pressure in the chamber 112 against a valve seat 114 formed on the end of a bushing 116 having a central passage therein which communicates with the port 88. As thus arranged, it willbe readilyapparent that the combined pressure of the spring 110 and the pressure in the brake pipe holds the valve 106 on itsseat 11 i and thereby normally prevents communication between ports 88 and 90. So long as the valve 106 is in the closed position shown in Fig. 3, the auxiliaryreservoir pressure from port 90 cannot reach port 88, hence, emergency piston 72 cannot be forced downward to open the emergency valve 78 until the pressure in chamber 112 (or in other words the brake pipe pressure) hasbeen reduced at a predetermined rate.

The self-contained unit 100 just described in detail prevents the undesired emergency application of the air brakes when the engineer merely reduces the brake pipe pressure suflicientlyto cause the service application of brake. It is known to those skilled in the art that undesired emergency appli' cations of the brakes are frequently made when the engineer merely reduces the brake pipe pressure suliiciently to cause a regular service or gradual application of the brake. This is a well known defect in the triple valves as ordinarily constructed and it comes about because the main piston 50 of the usual triple valve frequently sticks and the frictional resistance between the slide valve 56 and its seat prevents the piston 16 from moving as it theoretically should in response to the differential pressures existing on the auxiliary air face of the piston 50 and the brake pipe face of this piston. Nhen the engineer makes an initial brake pipe reduction by manipulating.his valve 1% and does, not securebraking action because the slide 1 valve or main piston 50 is held back by the friction he will make further reductions in the brake pipe, pressure, and when the pressure difference between the opposite faces of the piston 50 is sufficient to overcome the friction or other causes preventing the gradual movement of the main piston 50, the latter will snap quickly to what we know as emergency position in this art. That is to say, the piston will ma e its full travel causing its of the graduating spindle '98 and compress the graduating spring 99. Such a movement of the piston 50 in the triple valve as usually constructed would cause an emergency appliindicated at 72 cation of the air brakes'as this movement of the piston would bring port 60015 the slide valve into register with the port 82 and thus permit auxiliary reservoir pressure to force down the emergency piston 72, thereby opening'the emergency valve 7 8 and permitting both brake pipe pressure and auxiliary air pressure to flow through chamber 82 to the brake cylinder and hence cause an emergency application of the brakes. Such undesired emergency application of the brakes is prevented by my invention inasmuch as the valve 106 cannot be unseated until the brake pipe pressure has been reduced at a predetermined rate (this rate is usually eight pounds per second) and the engineer never makes such a quick reduction unless an emergency application of the brakes is desired.

Of course, it will be understood that when such an emergency application is desired, the auxiliary air flow from chamber 40 through port 82, passage 90 and passage 90 to chamber 11a in the prevention device, will be sufficient to overcome the brake pipe pressure in chamber 112 and the force of the spring'110, thus, auxiliary air will flow through passage 116, port 88- and port- 88 to the topof chamber 74 and thereby depress the emergency piston 7 2 opening the emergency valve 78- thus permitting the brake pipe pressure to lift the check valve 28 and pass through chambers 80 and 7a to port 32 to the brake cylinder and cause a desired emergency application of the brakes.

The use of prevention device 100 illustrated in Fig. 3 merely necessitates the drilling of ports 88, 90 and 92 in existing air brake triple valves and insertion of cup bushing 8 1 to close oil the port 82 formed in the typical forms of triple valve.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention an undesired emergency application an be prevented by the use of a device which does not necessitate any machine work on the existing triple valve equipment. Such a device is shown at 100 in Fig. 4; where it will be noted that the selfcontained unit in this form of the invention is inserted between the usual triple valve body 48 and the usual cheer: valve casing 26. The parts are held in this assembled relationship by bolts which pass through the same holes provided for the'bolts which normally secure the body 18 to the check valve casing 26, it only being necessary when using this prevention unit to provide longer bolts in place of those removed from the stock triple valve. In this embodiment of the invention, it is unnecessary to provide theplate 84, the port 82 communicating directly with the chamber 7 1 which usually accommodates the emergency piston. lVith this arrangement, I remove the emergency piston from the chamber 74 and mount it as within the chamber 119 of the preventiond vice 100. The chamber 80 ill? telescopically engaging a bore 85 formed in' the check valve 28, the extremity of the emergency valve stem is seated against the emergency valve spring 87.

An intermediate wall 120 forms the top of chamber 118, this wall having a central port 122 and a'valve seat 124 for coaction with a valve 126 carried by a diaphragm 128 pressed downwardly bya spring 130 and by the brake pipe ressure within the chamber 132, this cham'er being connected by port 134 with a duct 24' formed in the unit 100 which duct is aligned with the similar duct in check valve casing communicatin with the chamber 24.

' It is thus apparent that fluid pressure from the brake pipe and spring 130 tend to hold valve 126 on the seat 124. T his prevents the flow of auxiliary air through chamber 74 and port 136 formed in the body of the unit 100 to the chamber above piston 72 It will be readily understood that the valve 126 performs identically the same function as the valve 106 in the alternative construction shown in Fig. 3. It will thus be clear without repeating the description and operation of the triple valve in detail that the valve 126 will prevent an undesired emergency application of the air brakes when the engineer merely reduces the brake pipe pressure at a rate to give a service application to the brakes even though the emergency piston 46 assumes the socalled emergency position. However, when the engineers valve is moved to position to reduce the brake pipe pressure at a sufficient rate (usually at the rate of eight pounds reduction per second) an unbalanced condition will be established and the auxiliary reservoir pressure flowing through port 136 will then be sufiicient to overcome the resistance of spring 130 and lift the diaphragm 128 and valve 126 so as to permit the emergency piston 72 to be depressed and thereby open the emergency valve 78 thus allow brake pipe pressure as well as auxiliary air pressure to enter the brake cylinder and thereby effect an emergency application to the brakes. In certain types of triple valves (those known in the art as \Vestinghouse K and K a quick service portsuch as indicated in dotted lines at 138 is provided. For adapting my device for use with such a type of triple valve, I form in the unit 100 a port 140 which provides an avenue of communication between the chamber 80 and said quick service port 138. Hence, this device can be brakes.

used also with those types of triple valves having such a quick service port. When the device is applied to valves not having the quick service port, the upper end of the passage 140 is merely blanked 011 or closed by the gasket 142 which is used between the unit and the triple valve body 48.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my invention providesa self-contained unit which is adapted to be applied to'existing air brake equipment without making material changes therein and that such'unit contains means for preventing theundesired emergency application of the air brake without in any way attempting to control the movement of the main or so-called triple piston 50. In short, when the triple piston moves to emergency position by freeing itself from obstructions or overcoming the sticking action due to friction, freezing of accumulated water in the valve parts or insufficient lubrication, the emergency valve will be prevented from opening. However, when sufiicient reduction in the brake pipe pressure is made by manipulation of the engineers valve (orby any reduction in the grade pipe caused by automatic train stop apparatus or manipulation of the conductors valve) the main triple piston50 will be moved by the predominating pressure from the auxiliary reservoir which is sufficient to open communication through the prevention device from the auxiliary reservoir to the emergency piston and thereby permit the unseating of the emergency valve.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, the parts 72*, 81 and 78 are interchangeable with the similar parts 72, 81 and 78 shown in Fig. 2, it being understood that the illustrations are drawn at different scales.

While I have described with great particularity the details of the specific embodiments of the invention herein illustrated, it is not to be construed that I am limited thereto as various modifications and substitution of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a triple valve such as used in air brake apparatus having main triple piston and emergency piston, of a separately attached device arranged to permit the movement of said emergency piston only when the brake pipe pressure is reduced at a rate greater than a predetermined minimum rate, said main triple piston being arranged to travel to different positions respectively for service I and emergency application of the 2. The combination with a triple valve such as used in air brake apparatus having the usual main triple piston and emergency piston, of a separate device detachably secured to said triple valve and arranged to permit the movement of said emergency piston only when the brake pipe pressure is reduced at a rateofapproximately eight pounds per second, said main triple piston being arranged to travel to different positions respectively for service and emergency application of the brakes.

3. In an air brake apparatus including a brake cylinder and the usual triple valve connected to the usual brake pipe, an auxiliary reservoir, said triple valve having a main triple piston, slide valve, graduating valve,

emergency piston and emergency valve actuated thereby and a self-contained unit adapted to be attached to said triple valve for preand emergency valve actuated thereby, a device for preventing the undersired emergency application of the brakes including a valve movable in response to difierences in pressure between the brake pipe and the auxiliary reservoir, said last named valve controlling the supply of auxiliary airto a chamber on one side of said emergency piston.

5. A triple valve in combination with a brake pipe, auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder of a railway brake apparatus, said triplevalve including an upper valve body provided with the usual main triple piston, slide valve and graduating valve, a check valve casing connected with the brake pipe, and a device adapted to prevent the undesired emergency application of the brakes consisting of a self-contained unit interposed between said triple valve body and said check valve casing, said unit containing a preventing valve responsive to variations in pressure between the brake pipe and the auxiliary reservoir, said unit carrying an emergency piston and an emergency valve whose movements are controlled by said preventing valve.

e. In combination with a triple valve having a main triple piston and associated slide and graduating.valves, also having an emergency piston and emergency valve associated therewith substantially as described, of a device for preventing the undesired movment of saidemergency piston, said device controlling the supply of fluid pressure to said emergency piston, the movement of said preventing valve being responsive to variations in pressure between the brake pipe and the auxiliary reservoir, said main triple piston being arranged to dwell at different positions respectively for service and emergency ap plication of the brakes. I

Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

CARL o. GLENN. 

